More funds entered the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Wednesday but purchases declined 5 percent fewer shares than on Tuesday as the value rose by 8 percent with 42 securities trading compared with 40 on Tuesday, resulting in the prices of 16 rising, 17 declining and 9 closing unchanged.
A total of 9,004,048 shares were traded for $26,089,560 compared to 9,486,819 units at $24,258,679 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 214,382 shares at $621,180 versus 237,170 units at $606,467 on Tuesday with the month to date averaging 199,195 stocks at $532,230 compared with 196,347 shares at $515,552 on the previous day. January closed with an average of 239,755 units at $646,375.
Tropical Battery led trading with 2.05 million shares for 22.8 percent of total volume followed by Future Energy Source with 1.58 million units for 17.6 percent of the day’s trade and Regency Petroleum with 1.05 million units for 11.6 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index declined 6.84 points to close at 3,905.52.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 12.6. The PE ratios of 
Junior Market stocks incorporate projected ICInsider.com earnings for the financial year ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows seven stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging gained 20 cents to close at $2.90 in switching ownership of 1,332 shares, CAC2000 fell $1.15 to $7.20 after transferring 591 units, Cargo Handlers rose 39 cents to $13.39 in exchanging 10,027 stocks Caribbean Cream shed 17 cents to settle at $3.33 with 2,500 stock units changing hands, Consolidated Bakeries dipped 10 cents to $2.50 with investors exchanging 26,000 shares, Dolphin Cove dropped 63 cents to $14.55 with the swapping of 12,841 stock units. EduFocal gained 22 cents in closing at $2.28 after 143,992 units passed through the market, 
Fontana fell 28 cents to $8.52 as investors traded 121,293 stocks, Future Energy Source rallied 10 cents to $4.70 in transferring 1,582,638 stocks. General Accident advanced 45 cents to $4.95 in trading a mere 49 units, iCreate lost 9 cents in closing at $1.90 in switching ownership of 464,883 stock units, Indies Pharma shed 15 cents after ending at $2.84 with the transfer of 4,319 shares. Jamaican Teas gained 7 cents to end at $2.58 after clearing the market with 44,258 shares, Knutsford Express popped 8 cents to close at $10.08 with the swapping of 11,806 units, Lasco Manufacturing lost 11 cents to settle at $4 after exchanging 19,030 stock units. Limners and Bards gained 16 cents ending at $2.50 in transferring 33,853 stocks, Mailpac Group shed 13 cents to close at $2.01 as investors swapped 122,014 units, Main Event dipped 42 cents to $9.50 in an exchange of 838 shares. MFS Capital Partners lost 9 cents to end at $3.50 with 876,476 stock units changing hands, Paramount Trading rose 33 cents to finish at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $2.58 after the price hit an intraday high of $2.95 before falling back after a transfer of 105,096 stocks, 
Regency Petroleum popped 8 cents to close at $1.90 in crossing the exchange with 1,047,536 stock units. Spur Tree Spices popped 9 cents to end at $2.90 with investors transferring 292,334 stocks and Tropical Battery fell 19 cents to $2.31 after 2,049,613 shares were traded.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading resulted in an exchange of 18,817,620 shares, up from 17,343,337 units on Monday, valued at $120.2 million, compared with $122.33 million on the previous day. Trading on the JSE USD market resulted in investors exchanging shares traded for US$4,280 versus US$19,925 on Tuesday.
Investors need pertinent information to successfully navigate many investment options in the local stock market. The ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily report charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
The net asset value of each company is reported as a guide to assess the value of stocks based on this measure quickly. The chart also shows daily changes in stock prices and the percentage year to date price movement based on the last traded prices. Dividends payable and yields for each company are shown in the Main and Junior Markets’ daily report charts that show the closing volume for the bids and offers.
A total of 7,945,794 shares were exchanged for $100,709,129 compared to 9,434,901 units at $32,400,825 on Monday.
The PE Ratio, a formula to ascertain appropriate stock values, averages 14.2 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios incorporate earnings forecasted by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Kingston Wharves dipped $1 in closing at $32 after 3,129 shares passed through the market, Mayberry Investments lost 40 cents to end at $8.10 after exchanging 39,563 stocks, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy dropped $23 to end at $75 with a transfer of 75 units. NCB Financial rallied $2 in closing at $77 as investors exchanged 23,990 shares after the price hit a new one year low of $72, 138 Student Living gained 55 cents to settle at $5.70 with the swapping of 1,123 stocks, Palace Amusement popped $31 to close at $2,480 with 409 stock units changing hands. Portland JSX shed $1.54 to settle at $10 with 512 units clearing the market, Proven Investments lost 49 cents in ending at $29.01 with investors transferring 3,048 units, Sagicor Group fell $1.96 to end at $49, trading 73,873 shares. Scotia Group rose 69 cents to close at $33.79 in exchanging 191,619 stocks, Seprod advanced $2.40 to $67.90 after trading 100 stock units, Supreme Ventures lost 43 cents to close at $26.07 in switching ownership of 38,042 shares and Sygnus Credit Investments rose $1.10 to $12.99 with the swapping of 33,048 stock units.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 7% preference share gained 42 cents in closing at $2.83 with a transfer of 3,904 stocks and 138 Student Living preference share advanced $2.50 to close at a record high of $78 in trading 1,024 units.
A total of 9,486,819 shares were traded at $24,258,679 compared with 12,032,460 units at $34,094,366 on Monday.
Junior Market stocks use ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial year ending that fall between November 2022 and August 2023.
EduFocal shed 11 cents to close at $2.06 in exchanging 213,512 stocks, Fontana popped 10 cents to finish at $8.80 after 54,166 shares were traded, Fosrich lost 7 cents in ending at $3.52 with investors trading 539,126 shares. General Accident dipped 49 cents to close at $4.50 with 5,603 stock units changing hands, Honey Bun gained 10 cents to end at $7.40 after trading 1,290 stocks, Iron Rock Insurance advanced 22 cents to $2.39 with the swapping of one unit. Knutsford Express rallied 15 cents to close at $10 as investors exchanged 63,301 shares, Lasco Distributors shed 13 cents to end at $2.54 after 8,275 stock units passed through the market, Lasco Financial rose 19 cents to end at $2.82 as investors exchanged 17,200 units. Main Event gained 37 cents to close at $9.92 after a transfer of 1,602 stocks, 
Paramount Trading fell 10 cents to end at $2.25 in trading 27,000 stock units, Stationery and Office Supplies declined $1.23 to $14.26 with the swapping of 5,291 shares and Tropical Battery gained 14 cents in ending at $2.50 after exchanging 311,397 stocks.
Overall, 110,724 shares were traded for US$19,925 down from 441,584 units at US$23,988 on Monday.
Sterling Investments declined 0.18 of a cent to close at 1.81 US cents, with 1,500 stocks crossing the market, Sygnus Credit Investments USD share climbed 0.02 of a cent in ending at 10 US cents, with 45,232 units passing through the exchange, Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share ended at 8.5 US cents closed after 5,949 shares changed hands and Transjamaican Highway remained at 0.97 of one US cent with 8,668 stocks clearing the market.
a higher value than on Monday, leading to a rise in the Junior Market and declines in the JSE Main and the USD Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange. 
The market’s PE ratio ended at 22.8 based on 2021-22 earnings and 13.1 times those for 2022-23 at the close of trading.
The net asset value of each company is reported as a guide to assess the value of stocks based on this measure quickly. The chart also shows daily changes in stock prices and the percentage year to date price movement based on the last traded prices. Dividends payable and yields for each company are shown in the Main and Junior Markets’ daily report charts that show the closing volume for the bids and offers.
Investors traded 243,373 shares for $2,894,825 versus 210,154 stock units at $4,260,730 on Monday. An average of 12,169 units were traded at $144,741 compared to 11,675 shares at $236,707 on Monday, with trading month to date averaging 20,171 shares at $500,200 versus 22,364 units at $597,586 on the previous day. The average trade for January amounts to 28,440 at $235,404.
Guardian Holdings remained at $25.05 with a transfer of 28,574 units, JMMB Group popped 7 cents to $1.97 in switching ownership of 868 stocks, Massy Holdings lost 1 cent in closing at $4.48 after trading 94,336 stocks. National Enterprises rose 34 cents to end at $3.94 after a transfer of 5,590 stock units, National Flour Mills slipped 1 cent in closing at $1.50 in an exchange of 18,664 shares, NCB Financial ended at $4.20 while exchanging 286 units. One Caribbean Media remained at $3.70 with the swapping of 5,700 stocks, Prestige Holdings fell 10 cents to $6.90 with an exchange of 10 shares, Republic Financial shed $4.48 to close at $133.51 as 3,463 units passed through the market. Scotiabank increased 3 cents in ending at $77.98 with 8,047 stock units crossing the market, Trinidad & Tobago NGL advanced 10 cents to $21.10 as investors exchanged 3,901 stock units, Trinidad Cement dropped 1 cent in closing at $3.59 with 54,818 shares changing hands. Unilever Caribbean rallied 24 cents to end at $13.89, with 10,511 stocks crossing the market and West Indian Tobacco remained at $20.50 in an exchange of 4,487 units.
A total of 9,434,901 shares were exchanged for $32,400,825 versus 8,306,314 units at $100,793,32 on Friday.
The All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 2,647.57 points to 378,389.01, the JSE Main Index fell 2,561.70 points to end at 335,233.87 and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.99 points to settle at 79.70.
GraceKennedy shed $1.70 in ending at $77.10 in switching ownership of 30,914 units, Jamaica Producers fell $1.90 to $20 in exchanging 61,707 stocks. JMMB Group declined $2.97 in closing at $31.50 with the swapping of 28,300 shares, Kingston Wharves shed $2 to end at $33 as investors exchanged 14,071 stock units, Massy Holdings fell $1 to close at $79 with a transfer of 171 units. NCB Financial shed $2 to end at a 52 weeks’ low of $75 after 51,005 stocks cleared the market, 138 Student Living dipped 41 cents to end at $5.15 in exchanging 24,651 stock units, Palace Amusement climbed $49.01 to $2,449 in switching ownership of 929 shares. Proven Investments lost 50 cents to end at $29.50 after an exchange of 691 stock units, Scotia Group shed $1.40 to close at $33.10 after trading 16,328 units, Seprod gained 50 cents in closing at $65.50 with investors transferring 19,541 stocks. Supreme Ventures advanced $1.50 to $26.50 after trading 17,652 shares and Sygnus Credit Investments fell $1.11 to end at $11.89 with an exchange of 59,284 shares.
In the preference segment, Productive Business 10.50% preference share popped $250 to a 52 weeks’ high of $1,500 with 336 stock units changing hands. Eppley 5% preference share rallied 94 cents to close at $22.94 after 11 stocks crossed the market, Eppley 7.25% preference share declined $3.31 in ending at $18.79 after exchanging 2,427 units, Jamaica Public Service 9.5% dropped $42 to $2,950 trading 142 stocks. JMMB Group 7% preference share lost 43 cents to end at $2.41 as 444 shares passed through the market and JMMB Group 7.25% preference share dipped 47 cents to $3.11 with a transfer of 2,000 stock units but after it traded at a 52 weeks’ intraday high of $3.94.
A total of 12,032,460 shares were exchanged for $34,094,366 compared to 6,415,297 units at $16,382,248 on Friday.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 12.6. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks include ICInsider.com projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Fosrich lost 9 cents to end at $3.59 as investors traded 600,846 stock units, Future Energy Source shed 14 cents in ending at $4.63 with an exchange of 315,068 units, Honey Bun rallied 23 cents in closing at $7.30 in switching ownership of 1,028 units. iCreate lost 15 cents to end at $2 with a transfer of 331,953 shares, Iron Rock Insurance fell 33 cents to finish at $2.17 in an exchange of 1,026 stock units, KLE Group rose 23 cents to $2.08 after exchanging 21 stocks. Knutsford Express declined $1.15 in ending at $9.85 as investors traded 3,213 shares, Lasco Distributors lost 7 cents to close at $2.67 after 11,424 stock units passed through the exchange, Lasco Financial dipped 17 cents to $2.63 trading 19,000 stocks. Lasco Manufacturing shed 59 cents to end at $4.11 with 3,070 units changing hands, Main Event rose 35 cents to end at $9.55 after 6,413 shares passed through the market, Medical Disposables advanced 39 cents to close at $5 in trading 56,291 stock units. MFS Capital Partners gained 34 cents in closing at $3.55 in switching ownership of 5,814,055 units, 
Paramount Trading popped 15 cents to $2.35 after exchanging 92,494 stocks, Spur Tree Spices lost 12 cents to close at $2.78 with the swapping of 209,621 stock units. Tropical Battery shed 24 cents to end at $2.36 while trading 669,029 shares and tTech declined 14 cents to $2.41 with a transfer of 2,167 stocks.
Overall, 441,584 shares were traded for US$23,988 up from 291,324 units at US$20,906 on Friday.
Margaritaville shed 1.1 cents after ending at 13 US cents and finishing with 58 units trading, Productive Business Solutions rose 21 cents to end at US$1.91 with an exchange of 431 stock units. Proven Investments remained at 20 US cents after investors traded 25,700 stocks, Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share dropped 0.4 cents in closing at 8.5 US cents in switching ownership of 29,283 stocks and Transjamaican Highway increased 0.05 cents in closing at 0.97 US cents after exchanging 369,493 shares.
